Tales From Topographic Oceans
by Yes
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Yes bestography
Tales From Topographic Oceans is ranked 7th best out of 70 albums by Yes on BestEverAlbums.com.
The best album by Yes is Close To The Edge which is ranked number 86 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 13,463.
(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).
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Tales From Topographic Oceans track list
The tracks on this album have an average rating of 83 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).
Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.
Tales From Topographic Oceans rankings
(Calculated from aggregate positions across 60,000 charts (2 million album rankings). (Last updated: 3 hours ago).
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Tales From Topographic Oceans ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 423 ratings for this album.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Album ratings | Avg. album rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 05/10/2026 19:23 | emnasut | 153 | 87/100 |
| ! | 05/10/2026 11:54 | Adhura | 1,696 | 77/100 |
| ! | 04/23/2026 09:33 | Pavloss | 488 | 50/100 |
| ! | 04/10/2026 16:52 | Deckard | 267 | 80/100 |
| ! | 03/31/2026 12:44 |  flamingyesdept | 2,942 | 77/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)
This album is rated in the top 11% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 74.6/100, a mean average of 73.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 74.6/100. The standard deviation for this album is 18.1.
Tales From Topographic Oceans favourites
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Tales From Topographic Oceans comments
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I usually love long prog songs but this one doesn't quite do it for me. Lots of good moments in each song, but having four 20+ minute songs on the same album is overbearing and sometimes hard to get through.
The album certain members of Yes never liked apparently. I don't understand why, I really like it. One of the best prog album sleeve designs of the era with some truly progressive music to immerse oneself in!
Great from start to finish. It needs listening to.
Get the idea of primitive man and their rituals of remembering around cave fires. That will help you into this beautiful album.
flamingyesdept 09/23/2020 14:58 | #258581
Would have made a superb single album. As it stands, Ritual at least is near-perfect
Very polarizing Yes record which I happen to like quite a bit. There is some incredible moments in each tracks but a lot of these tracks are filled with not so memorable moments compared to CTTE and Relayer's 20 min epic. Interesting projet to listen when you are not too much concentrated on the music.
AJSki2fly 06/14/2020 09:37 | #253514
Tales from Topographic Oceans is a great Yes favourite of mine, I no some do not rate it but the musical constructs and the vocals just work. There is some lovely guitar work and if you listen carefully you will hear a host of of harmonies and harmonics between instruments. Verging on a classical recording but using modern instruments. I brought this when it was first released on cassette when I was 15 and listened to it regularly in my bedroom. I have returned to it many times over the years and now on a good hifi it sounds even better, give it several listens and once you know the piece it will reward.
I put this album on when I want to fall asleep and I don't mean that as an insult. I really do like to relax to this album, It puts me in a relaxing mood.
ChrisPBacon 05/12/2019 15:24 | #236174
I bought this album on the first day it was released.I was such a big fan. I loved the album cover. Boy, was I disappointed. The songs are too long, and there is nothing as good as Roundabout or Heart of the Sunrise. I have not listened to it in years. Maybe I need to give it another chance.
Álbum muy recomendable aunque irregular. Contiene lo mejor y lo peor (hasta Tormato) que han hecho. Mi cuarto álbum favorito del grupo.
luigybetis 04/17/2018 16:53 | #213122
Really beautiful album, not the most cohesive but still great. 8/10.
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